he yacht _Fanny_, after an absence of ten days. We had a
visit from H.M.S. _Scout_ about this time, and one day sat down sixteen
to dinner in the mission-house, some of the officers having come up to
spend the day. It is difficult to improvise a dinner in a country where
no joints of meat are to be had, unless you kill an ox for the purpose.
Sheep there are none. A capon or goose, or a sucking pig, are the only
big dishes, and not always to be had. However, we did very well, and our
visitors were delighted with Sarawak, and with the schoolboys' singing;
for I had them up to sing glees and rounds, and "Rule Britannia," after
dinner. Captain Corbett was so pleased with the little fellows that he
invited them all to see the ship the next morning. Accordingly our
largest boat took the choir down very early to Morotabas, where the
_Scout_ lay, and Captain Corbett took them all over it himself, even
down to the screw chamber. The boys had never seen so large a man-of-war
before (1600 tons), so they were delighted. Some Dyaks who went with
them were much terrified lest they should be carried off to sea, for the
captain ordered "up anchor," that the boys might see how it was done,
and then sent them off the last minute. They came home in high glee.
Only those who live at the ends of the earth can tell what a pleasure
and refreshment is a little visit from her Majesty's ships from time to
time. The whiff of English air they bring with them, and the hearty
English enthusiasm which has not had time to evaporate, is most
reviving.

Many Chinese Christians returned to China this summer. I hope they
carried the good seed of the word of life with them. They are only birds
of passage at Sarawak: when they grow rich they prefer to spend their
money in their native country. Our Chinese deacon took his family for a
visit to their Chinese relations. Even the married daughter went with
them; and a few days afterwards, Akiat, her husband, came to tell me
that he was so wretched without his wife, that he should go to Singapore
for the few months of her absence, to while away the time, and he meant
to have a nice new house ready for her on her return.

Voon Yen Knoon deserved a holiday, certainly, for he worked hard among
his countrymen, besides teaching every day in the school. Three evenings
every week were devoted to the instruction of the Chinese, at the
mission-house. Two distinct languages were spoken by the different
tribes of Chinese